- Sputnik International
World
Get the latest news from around the world, live coverage, off-beat stories, features and analysis.

Outrage Over Swedish Church's Support Concert for 'Daesh Children'

CC0 / jubild / Sweden Church. (File)
Sweden Church. (File) - Sputnik International
Subscribe
While Sweden has contributed some 300 jihadists to the terrorists' cause in the Middle East, the number of children born to Swedish jihadists and Daesh brides has been estimated at 60 to 80.

A church in Gothenburg's Högsbo parish has arranged a support concert in order to raise money for several dozen Daesh children with a connection to Sweden left in refugee camps across the Middle East, national broadcaster SVT reported.

Högsbo parish priest Lina Westberg said that it was "a matter of course" for her to open the church's doors for this purpose.

"We gladly step in if the members have wishes. And this situation is very much a matter for the church itself", Westberg said.

By her admission, the congregation wants to focus on all Swedish Daesh children, whose number is estimated between 60 and 80, to be taken "home".

"We want to work for them to come to Sweden", Westberg said.

At the same time, a specific fund-raising effort was held to help the seven orphans of the late jihadist and terrorist recruiter Michael Skråmo, who is also known by his Islamic name Abou Ibrahim al-Swaidi. Skråmo, who was reported dead in March 2019, was often labelled Scandinavia's "most dangerous" terrorist.

READ MORE: Swedish Christian Democrat Leader Denies Islamisation of Her Country

The concert was held on Saturday night at the Högsbo church in Gothenburg with the purpose of raising money for Skråmos' father-in-law, Patricio Galvez, whose recent efforts to bring his orphaned grandchildren home have been glorified by national broadcaster SVT. Galvez is currently in the Iraqi city of Erbil, where his seven grandchildren were transported from Baghouz in Syria to the Swedish consulate in Iraq. SVT described the unification as a "joyful scene".

On social media, many were extremely critical of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden's involvement and overall stance.

"Wondering if the Church of Sweden devoted even a tenth of its time to Christian victims Galvez's daughter and her man slaughtered, raped, murdered and tortured in Iraq and Syria?" an indignant user wrote.

READ MORE: Swedish Gov't Grilled for 'Deranged' Plans to Bring Back Daesh Children

"Högsbo church. As beautiful on the outside as its priests on the inside. Praise God, the public service and the murderers for Daesh children!" another user tweeted, posting a photograph of the Högsbo church, and a concrete block.

​Hypocrisy was another common theme of reproach.

"That's interesting, where were you when when the genocide of the Yazidis happened?" a user tweeted.

"Damn! How lucky I was to have jumped out of the Swedish idiot church long ago. Invite others to do the same. If you do not like LGBT priests, socialism and refugee harbouring, the decision should be simple", yet another tweeted in resentment.

READ MORE: Losing My Religion: Record Exodus From Church of Sweden

The Church of Sweden is known for its liberal position on issues such as homosexuality and was the first to consecrate a lesbian bishop. It has previously come under severe fire for maintaining a hard pro-immigration stance and going so far as providing a refuge for illegal immigrants.

At over 5 million members, it remains Europe's largest Lutheran denomination and Sweden's largest religious organisation, though its membership has been rapidly declining in recent decades.

*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist organisation outlawed in Russia and many other countries.

Newsfeed
0
To participate in the discussion
log in or register
loader
Chats
Заголовок открываемого материала